Michael J. Stone
American Steam merchant
| Name | Michael J. Stone | ||
| Type: | Steam merchant (Liberty) | ||
| Tonnage | 7,176 tons | ||
| Completed | 1942 - Todd-Houston Shipbuilding Corp, Houston TX | ||
| Owner | Lykes Bros SS Co Inc, New Orleans LA | ||
| Homeport | Houston | ||
| Date of attack | 17 Feb 1945 | Nationality:  American | |
| Fate | Damaged by U-300 (Fritz Hein) | ||
| Position | 35° 56'N, 5° 45'W - Grid CG 95 | ||
| Complement | 73 (0 dead and 73 survivors). | ||
| Convoy | UGS-72 | ||
| Route | Norfolk (2 Feb) - Calcutta, India | ||
| Cargo | 7705 tons of landing mats, oil, jeeps and asphalt | ||
| History | Completed June 1942 Post-war: Broken up at Baltimore in March 1960. | ||
| Notes on event | At 11.00 hours on 17 Feb 1945, U-300 fired two spreads of two torpedoes at convoy UGS-72 27 miles from Gibraltar and hit the Michael J. Stone in station #43 and the Regent Lion. The Michael J. Stone (Master Guy Earnest Parker) was struck by one torpedo on the starboard side at the bulkhead between the #4 and #5 holds. The explosion damaged 650 square feet of the hull. The ship began to slowly settle by the stern as both holds and the steering room were flooded. The crew managed to bring the vessel under own power to Gibraltar until 18.00 hours by steering manually, drawing 40 feet aft. The tug HMS Behest (W 174) towed her into the port, where the ship was drydocked and repaired. All eight officers, 34 crewmen, 27 armed guards (the ship was armed with one 4in, one 3in and eight 20mm guns) and four passengers survived. | ||
| On board | We have details of 3 people who were on board. | ||
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